Prisoner News<ppnews@freedomarchives.org>

Seth has been in the infirmary at Sullivan since he got back from the hospital. Hasn't even been allowed to have a change of clothes. It is difficult to make phone calls.

They are giving him Glucerna twice a day, which is causing his blood sugars to be high (despite the fact that Glucerna is prescribed for diabetics).

The swelling in his legs and feet has returned. His cough has also returned.

Has only seen the doctor once, when he came back from Albany Medical Center.

We know ultimately Seth needs to come home to get healthy. Prison life is not meant for health. He goes to the parole board in June 2016 for the 9th time, not including other parole appeal denials in between the two year hits.

Being outside prison, Seth could receive true medical, family, nutrition and other related aspects of life that can contribute to the immense healing process that is needed.

It would be heartening for Seth to receive get well wishes at this time. Write to Seth and let him know he is in our hearts and on our minds.

Pharmaceutical companies spend millions of dollars a day to air drug ads on television -- $4.5 billion last year -- an investment which results in higher drug prices and keeps much-needed medication out of reach for many Americans.

The American Medical Association (AMA) recently called for a ban on direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs, but Congress still needs to enact the ban. Please sign my petition urging Congress to do what’s best for American citizens and heed the AMA’s call to ban TV ads for prescription drugs.

The U.S. is one of only two countries (along with New Zealand) that allows TV drug ads. And now, our country’s biggest doctors’ group has determined that these ads do not serve the purpose of educating consumers on the benefits and harms of specific medications. Instead, they just put the names of the newest, flashiest, and most expensive prescription drugs into people’s heads and urge them to “talk to their doctor” about switching. Switching is very often unnecessary at best, and can even be harmful to patients’ health.

And it’s not just the AMA that is concerned about these ads -- a recent poll by the Kaiser Family Health Foundation found that 89% of respondents want the FDA to review prescription ads before they air.Currently, it’s against federal law for the FDA to do this, so it must rely solely on consumer complaints after the ads have run. This does not strike me as the most ethically sound policy, and certainly does not seem like it has the best interest of the patient in mind.

Educating patients about their medication options is best left to doctors and pharmacists, not marketers and ad companies. Please join me in urging Congress to enact a ban on all TV drug ads.

It makes my heart happy to know so many of you are keeping this Day of Mourning event going.

I hear there is going to be a National Geographic movie this month called "Saints and Strangers" about the REAL Thanksgiving. I want you to know that I believe… I KNOW this has only come about from your continued protest and determination to expose what really happened. But, damn, huh has it ever taken so long! :( Let’s hope this film DOES tell the truth. I, for one, thank you very much, as this is what it was and is all about—getting the real history told about the genocide that was committed against us as a race of people and against our Nations. If we don't do this, then it can and will happen again until we have all been exterminated.

I'm so proud of you young People out there too, all over the country, standing up for our Nations and taking over because some of us can no longer get out there to stand by your sides—or to stand there with you and shake your hands.

February 6, 2016, will make it 40 straight years in here. Under the laws I was indicted with, a life term was seven years. I have served over six life sentences! As you know, I was sentenced to only two. To Native Peoples this is also not surprising. In fact, this is something that happens on a regular basis throughout Indian Country. And, as always, this is not acceptable to us. So we protest, and we protest some more.

Over the last four decades, I have been supported by people of all backgrounds, races, and religions. As we approach the one-year mark on President Obama’s remaining time in office, it is crucial for my survival that everyone who has ever supported my release to please contact my official Committee that works on my behalf, and coordinate and organize with them.

In 2008, when asked about my case, then Senator Obama supposedly said, “Show me the support." If all of you dedicate some of your time in 2016 to support my bid for clemency, I believe this President has the courage to do the right thing and let me go home.

Remember, too, that we have brothers and sisters who are themselves wrongfully incarcerated, and I ask that we all coordinate to put an end to these injustices.

I wish I could lie to you and tell you I'm doing O.K., but that would not be fair to you. Today, I have another call out to the prison clinic. I guess some of the results must have come back from my last blood work. I know I'm not feeling very well. It seems as if there are so many things wrong with me… I don't know what to do or say to you, or even where to start. Hell, I cannot even sit for any length of time. When I get up my plexis area hurts so bad, I cannot walk but very slowly and while hanging on to someone for support. But after a few steps I'm O.K. So I move right along with the crowd. :) But those first few steps are awfully painful. I asked for a cushion, but was told they don't have any here—and to make one myself from a blanket. Well, news flash. I did this and every time I did they took it away. Yep, for some reason this is illegal. Then I have to deal with the other medical problems. So, yeah, this is my Sundance. But you know what? You’re all worth it and I would not hesitate to suffer for any of you again and again.

Well, I better end this before you get bored with me. :) So, again, thank you—all of you—for being decent loving human beings.

Scott Roberts, ColorOfChange.org<info@colorofchange.org>

Private prisons are incentivizing anti-Black mass incarceration by bankrolling the election of America's leaders.1 It's unknown exactly how much private prison companies are giving to which 2016 candidates, but any amount influences the policies that shape our lives. In order to disrupt these toxic relationships and clear the way for dismantling mass incarceration we need to know the truth.Will you donate $15 to expose which 2016 candidates have private prisons in their pocket? If you give today, we'll share our research with you first.We saw the importance of exposing private prison donations last month when Hillary Clinton cut ties with private prison lobbyists.2Once The Intercept broke the news of $133,246 in private prison contributions to the Clinton campaign, ColorOfChange had what we needed to start a series of open conversations that ended in Clinton's decision to cut ties.3 Every politician that publicly stands up to the industry brings us one step closer to ending for-profit imprisonment; without political support the industry cannot survive.For-profit prison companies use direct contributions, lobbying and political relationships to keep the private prison industry alive — and it works. Over the past two decades, companies like Corrections Corporation of America and GEO Group have given $10 million to candidates who then make it their job to stand in the way of much-needed criminal justice reform.4

GEO Group has given $40,000 to presidential candidate Marco Rubio, who subsequently pushed through a $110 million new GEO Group prison while a Florida senator.5

What we know about private prison corruption is just the tip of the iceberg. The harder to find information — donations pushed through lobbyists, company employees and other entities — will only be revealed if we take matters into our own hands.Private prison companies make $3 billion a year off the torture and abuse of Black and brown people.10Their business model — sell people like you "sell hamburgers" — depends on willing politicians to keep the engine of mass incarceration running.11If at least 1,000 people gave just $15 dollars we could afford to hire someone to look through the pages upon pages of public record detailing how much money private prisons are funneling into elections. For the first time in decades, politicians on both sides of the aisle are calling for criminal justice reform.12 It's a historic moment, but private prisons are standing in the way of transformative change. We need to know which politicians have committed to keeping us locked up and locked out in order to hold our future leaders accountable for ending mass incarceration.Private prison companies operate in the shadows. DONATE JUST $15 TODAY to help expose and stop prison profiteers. Once you do, please ask your friends and family to do the same.

Sacramento – On November 11th,an imprisoned person at Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF), faced extreme violence at the hands of prison guards. Stacy Rojas and three others were detained, physically abused, sexually harassed, strip searched in the presence of ma
le guards, and were kept without water, food or restrooms for eleven hours. The group was illegally kept in administrative segregation without a lock up order and have been denied health care support for the injuries caused by these officers. Requests to speak with members of the prison’s Investigative Services Unit have so far been ignored.

“I just want to let them know that we have been physically abused, sexually harassed,” said Stacy Rojas, “and that this was just wrong. They used excessive force, totally used excessive force against us and we need help.”

The public acknowledgment of excessive use of force and deadly use of force by police has increased throughout the nation. Video recordings of interactions between the police and the public have increased significantly in recent years as technology has improved and the number of distribution channels has expanded. This is not an option open to people experiencing violence from guards behind prison walls and any attempt to speak out is often met with retaliation and increased force.

“Our communities in and out of lock up have lived experiences with biased policing -- ranging from racial profiling, to excessive, and sometimes lethal, use of force”, stated Patrisse Cullors co-founder of #BlackLivesMatter. “We hear about it more and more in the communities we live in, but rarely hear about the traumatic ways that it manifests in the California prison system. Stories like Stacy’s are happening everyday inside of California prisons and jails with little to no measures taken by authorities to keep people safe and hold law enforcement, such as prison guards accountable.”

Advocacy organizations working with people in women’s prisons are familiar with reports of abuse and violence, like that experienced at CCWF last week. The California Coalition for Women Prisoners, Justice Now, the Family Unity Network, the TGI Justice Project and others regularly provide legal and medical advocacy support following incidents of violence perpetrated by correctional officers at women’s prisons.

This group of organizations and Stacy’s family members are requesting an independent investigation of the violence and excessive use of force used. They are requesting medical care and safe housing for Stacy and all those involved. The group also demands an end to the violence imposed on women, transgender people, gender nonconforming people, and communities of color within the California prison system.

“My sister is at the end of a fourteen year sentence and it seems as though some would wish to take that away. This has never happened [to Stacy] before. We have never had fear for my sister's life”, said Adriana Rojas. “My sister Stacy Rojas' constitutional rights have been violated by being stripped searched by male guards, assaulted by means of kicking and stomping, taken outdoors in near 40 degree weather, threatened with rape, humiliated, placed in holding cages for nearly 12 hours, and deprived of food and water.” Albert Jacob Rojas added, “They were denied medical attention and denied the right to speak to internal affairs. We ask that anybody who cares about human rights and women's rights please join us in demanding justice for all.”

Family members and advocates are calling for:

An immediate independent investigation into the violence and excessive force used by guards in this incident.

Suspension of guards involved pending investigation.

Comprehensive medical treatment for injuries sustained during the incident.

Moms Across America<info@momsacrossamerica.com>

Moms Across America

Glyphosate, the world's most widely used herbicide, has been found in our tap water, rain, streams, soil, food, sanitary products and hospital gauze, feeding tube liquid and breast milk. Unfortunately it is almost impossible to avoid. Once we learn about the damaging impacts of glyphosate as a chelator, endocrine disruptor , DNA mutagen, antibiotic and carcinogen, it is definitely impossible not to feel stress about our family being exposed to this chemical. There has to be a solution though... there has to be hope.I was skeptical when I first heard about this new product, Restore, I have to admit. There are lots of products out there that claim to do lots of things.But when I began hearing Testimonials from TMR, Thinking Moms Revolution and people I trust, I began to take interest.When I learned that Restore is from deep within the earth, (Mother Earth!) far from any exposure ever to industrial chemicals, and that it has actually been tested and shown to build cell resilience to glyphosate I was very intrigued. Could there be hope?Over time and extensive discussion, I have come to believe that this product could be the solution for many millions to restore their gut health and improve numerous gut issues. We hope you will join us Tuesday November 24 at 12:30 pm PT at http://www.momsacrossamerica.com/live_signupwith the brilliant and dedicated Dr. Zachary Bush to discuss gut health and what we can do about it.You can simply watch for free on our website.

Moms Across America does not choose our affiliations lightly. Too much is at stake... all we have worked for, the health and future of our children.So we hope you will trust that the energy put into this affiliation has been highly researched and is done with the purest intention of turning around our health crisis NOW before it is too late.

Despite being exposed to glyphosate our family CAN be healthy.We hope your family will restore your health.With Love and Gratitude,Zen Honeycutt and MAA TeamMoms Across Americahttp://www.momsacrossamerica.com/

We received some disappointing news this week and I think it’s important to remember what this movement is all about. Despite the FDA's recent approval of GMO salmon, in the past 4 years, a national movement for basic transparency in our food supply has sprung up across the United States and inspired millions of like-minded citizens like us around the world.

This massive awakening has only happened because millions of people like you have become educated about the complex topic of GMOs and decided to take massive action. From shifting to a more organic and non-GMO diet, to voting for GMO labeling to signing petitions, to supporting the organic and non-GMO companies that produce our food responsibly and with basic transparency, we’ve sparked a movement whose momentum is just getting started.

From the very beginning, we knew this would be a difficult battle. But right now, even though they’re continuing to rig the regulatory system against us, major American food companies are scrambling to keep up with the growing demand that the GMO labeling movement has created for healthy, organic and non-GMO food.

And now we think it’s time to get creative! Which is whyFood Democracy Now! would like to bring your attention to a must-see new movie about GMOs.

In case you haven’t heard about it, CONSUMEDis a new dramatic thriller (not a documentary) that sheds light on Genetically Modified Foods, champions the Right To Know movement, and promotes GMO labeling of foods sold in the United States.

Consumed tackles the complex issues of how corporations have taken over our food supply, bully and intimidate family farmers, corrupt science and the realities of improper safety testing from the American public.

Right now, you have a chance to help grow this movement even further, by making sure your friends and family go a see this dramatic new film, which could literally be the first blockbuster to tell the story of how companies like Monsanto have consolidated power in rural America and forced their products to be sold unlabeled here in the U.S. for more than 20 years.

CONSUMED has partnered with GATHR FILMS to release one night only crowd sourced screenings in movie theaters nationwide. Each screening will be an exciting community event that will generate awareness of the Right To Know movement and bring this important issue to the attention of thousands of new individuals across the country.

CLICK HERE and enter your city to find your local screening of CONSUMED.

We are encouraging individuals, organizations, and community groups to support screening events of CONSUMED and help sell out movie theaters across the US.

Reserve your tickets to a screening of CONSUMED at the theater nearest you OR become a host of a screening and rally your friends and colleagues to join you at this important community event.

Be a part of the release of this groundbreaking film!

Gathr's support team (support@gathr.us or 855.428.4787) is available if you’d like more information about how this works or how to rally local members to attend a screening.

Remember, democracy is like a muscle, either you use it or you lose it!